Cause As Risk

Neat little shelves, neatly labeled,
Once you have language, you can’t help

Illustrating and becoming
A captive to categories—

If you learn to write, if you live
In a time of cheap implements,

The taxonomic habit may
Become a kind of addiction.

Asked, Adam could tell you the fun
Doesn’t come from all the naming,

Although that grabs the attention,
That’s seen as where the power lies.

The real fun’s sorting and switching.
Cause empties when risk’s on the rise.